Chapter 39 Of course I am not talking about the display car!

This Ferrari 4S dealership is located in a prime area of the Shudu High-Tech Zone. Newly renovated in 2023, its large glass curtain wall offers a clear view of supercars in shades of red and silver. The entrance is crafted from stylish silver-gray aluminum panels, with signature Ferrari models showcased on either side.

As Li Yan gently pushed open the door, a waft of cool, lightly scented air greeted him. The showroom floor was paved with light gray tiles, and a massive lightbox featuring the iconic Ferrari Prancing Horse logo hung from the high ceiling, lending the space a modern yet spirited atmosphere.

"Good morning, sir. Welcome to the Ferrari Shudu Experience Center. Are you looking for any specific model or have any particular requirements?"

The voice was soft yet professional. The speaker was a sales consultant in her early thirties, dressed in a red and black uniform.

This was his first time at a Ferrari dealership and his first time seriously considering a top-tier supercar: the SF90 Spider, Ferrari’s current flagship hard-top convertible hybrid. Li Yan had browsed countless times before, whether it was the Porsche 911, the Lamborghini Aventador, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, or the Land Rover Range Rover. He hadn't been entirely sure what he wanted, but the moment he laid eyes on the SF90 Spider, he knew.

This was the one.

"I’d like to see the SF90 Spider."

Li Yan scanned the room; he couldn't identify some of the other models, and he didn't spot the SF90 Spider immediately. The consultant paused for a moment, a flicker of pleasant surprise crossing her mind. After all, the SF90 Spider was a top-tier hybrid flagship, not a car just anyone asked for. She observed Li Yan—dressed in a casual shirt, jeans, and ordinary sneakers, he looked simple and relaxed. Yet, a Patek Philippe Nautilus caught the light on his wrist, revealing his true status. He was clearly no ordinary visitor.

She nodded with a smile. "Certainly. We happen to have an SF90 Spider in the rear display area. It was previously used for a customer booking demonstration. Please, follow me."

Li Yan followed the consultant past a display of limited-edition V8 and V12 engine models and turned behind a signboard marked "Ferrari Hybrid." Finally, in the corner of the showroom, he saw it. The car was finished in a deep "Rosso Mugello" red, its low-slung body exuding both aggression and elegance from the front and sides. Most unique was the retractable hard-top mechanism at the rear, capable of a stunning transformation from a sleek coupe to an open-top roadster in mere seconds.

That moment, Li Yan stood as if transfixed.

"This is it," he said to himself.

If his past interest in Porsche and Lamborghini lacked that singular, definitive impact, the SF90 Spider felt like an intuitive, undeniable calling. Even before sitting in the driver’s seat, he had already decided to look into it further—or better yet, bring it home.

The consultant smiled warmly. "This is the SF90 Spider, a hard-top convertible featuring Ferrari’s top-of-the-line hybrid system, packing nearly a thousand horsepower. Feel free to walk around it. I can provide the pricing and configuration details."

Li Yan stepped closer, his fingertips brushing the smooth paintwork. He felt a surge of excitement, though he kept his expression composed. He felt secure in his position now; his combined assets and financing options were more than enough to cover the budget for this flagship model. He took a deep breath, reflecting on the Porsches and Lamborghinis he had viewed online, all of which now seemed eclipsed by the charm of the SF90 Spider.

The sales consultant gestured for him to open the door and sit in the driver's seat. "This is a floor model, not yet registered, primarily for customer experience. The configuration is mid-to-high level, though you can certainly add or remove features based on your preference."

Li Yan carefully opened the door and settled into the driver's seat. Upon contact, he could feel the unique texture created by the blend of high-end perforated leather and carbon fiber. The seat was firm but comfortable, offering excellent support. The steering wheel was minimalist yet high-tech, with a plethora of touch-sensitive buttons and paddle shifters arranged on either side, seamlessly blending the racing aesthetic of traditional Ferrari dashboards with the digital interface of the new hybrid system.

"Can I open the roof to see?" Li Yan asked.

The consultant chuckled. "Of course, though only partially. We have to move it to the outdoor plaza for a full cycle, as the space here is limited and we wouldn't want to hit the display railings."

Li Yan nodded with slight regret and reached out to touch the roof switch area, noting the solid tactile feel of the buttons.

"Is it possible to take delivery within a month?"

The consultant poured him a glass of mineral water and placed an SF90 Spider configuration and price list on the glass coffee table. "Mr. Li, you mentioned wanting delivery within a month. Typically, in the Ferrari system, an SF90 Spider takes over six months to arrive."

She smiled, "However, we do have a way. We have a few 'pre-ordered' vehicles currently nearing completion at the port, ready to be shipped to Shudu. If you are willing to accept most of the existing configurations, we might get it to the showroom in one to two weeks. With expedited customs and registration, we could hand over the car in about three to four weeks."

Li Yan replied nonchalantly, "That will incur extra costs, right?"

The consultant nodded. "Yes. You would need to cover a certain expedited or 'reconfiguration' fee, roughly tens of thousands—a small amount compared to the five or six million price tag. It’s mainly for coordinating with the factory, logistics, and customs to shorten the standard process. Also, you would largely need to accept the existing interior and color of that stock vehicle, with only minor adjustments allowed; otherwise, it would have to go back to the factory for production, which would extend the timeline."

Li Yan scanned the configuration list. The pre-ordered car featured "Rosso Corsa" paint with a dark red interior. He preferred a more understated interior, perhaps a black and red mix or entirely black.

"What if I only change the interior color scheme?" he asked. "Is that doable? Would it take too long?"

The consultant thought for a moment. "If you only change some seat materials or colors without modifying carbon fiber components, we can have it customized by local professional craftsmen, though the quality might differ slightly from the factory original. If you want to maintain original factory quality, we have to confirm with the factory if they can swap the upholstery materials before shipping. That would require a few weeks of scheduling, but we will do our best to coordinate. Of course, this would involve some additional costs and uncertainty."

Li Yan weighed his options. He didn't have extreme requirements for the interior colors; red and black were relatively bold, and pure black was fine too, as long as it wasn't too flashy. It was a flagship car, after all—the exterior was eye-catching enough, so he didn't need to overcomplicate the interior.

"I can accept the stock interior mostly as is, just with a few minor detail changes. That won't cause a delay, will it?" he asked.

"Correct. If it's just minor adjustments like stitching or embroidery colors, we can handle it through official factory channels. The cost would be at most tens of thousands, and the time wouldn't be significant," the consultant replied with a smile.

Li Yan looked at the final quote: the car’s base price started at 4.5 million, with options and various taxes bringing it into the five-to-six-million range. This pre-ordered unit already included carbon-ceramic brakes, racing seats, and a sports exhaust. He found the setup acceptable, with a final price between 5.2 and 5.4 million. Including the expedited fees and minor modifications, he would need to pay about 50,000 to 100,000 extra.